LPAI confirmed on UK poultry farm

UK government body, Defra, has confirmed that low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) has been detected on a broiler breeder farm in Hampshire, England.

A 1km restriction zone has been put in place around the infected premises and the poultry on the farm will be culled. Animal and Plant Health Agency investigations are ongoing into the source of the disease.

Tests have confirmed the outbreak as a low severity H7 strain of the disease, a much less severe form than the H5N8 strain found at a Yorkshire duck farm in November. There are no links between the two cases.

Andrew Large, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, said: "Swift action is being taken to control the outbreak and we are monitoring the situation closely. Avian influenza is a disease of birds and Public Health England have stated that the risk to public health is very low, whilst the Food Standards Agency state that there is no food safety risk for consumers".

Poultry farmers are meanwhile being urged to maintain high vigilance and biosecurity.